Wipro Consumer Care & Lighting, part of the billionaire Azim Premji-led Wipro Group, said Thursday it has acquired Kerala-based ready-to-cook brand Brahmins, marking its 14th takeover deal till date.
The transaction marks Wipro Consumer’s second acquisition in Kerala in the packaged food category. In December 2022, it bought Nirapara, a packaged rice powder and spices brand.
The company didn’t disclose financial terms of the latest transaction.
Wipro, best known for its soap brand Santoor and Yardley talcum powder, aims to expand and consolidate its business in the spices, breakfast and ready-to-cook category.
"In Kerala, Brahmins is a strong heritage brand leading the spice and ready- to-cook category with a significant consumer recall. The high-quality standards adopted by Brahmins have played a key role in making it one of the most significant players in the market," said Vineet Agrawal, CEO of Wipro Consumer and MD at Wipro Enterprises.
Brahmins, launched in 1987, offers primarily ethnic breakfast pre-mix powders, spice mixes, straight powders (spices), pickles, dessert mixes, and others. The company says its premium flagship products are sambar powder and puttu podi.
"We are confident that with Wipro’s distribution strength, network, and marketing expertise we will significantly expand our geographical presence and scale Brahmins to newer heights," said Sreenath Vishnu, MD at Brahmins.
A Wipro Consumer spokesperson said Brahmin's blended spices and ethnic breakfast (puttu-podi, appams and other rice products) will appeal to a larger set of consumers in Kerala and other markets such as the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, the UK, the US and Australia.
Wipro has been one of the most active buyers in the consumer goods sector. Its bets include the purchase of healthcare brand Onelife Nutriscience Pvt Ltd in 2021 and Chandigarh-based male grooming startup LetsShave Pvt Ltd in 2020.
Wipro Consumer has also made a number of overseas acquisitions in the past. In 2019, the consumer goods firm acquired Splash Corporation, a personal care company in the Philippines, for an undisclosed sum. In 2016, it bought Chinese fast-moving consumer goods company Zhongshan Ma Er Daily Products Ltd, in an all-cash deal.
Its first acquisition was in 2003, when it bought Glucovita, a glucose brand, from Hindustan Unilever. In subsequent years, it added Chandrika (2004), Unza (2007), Yardley - Middle East, North Africa and Australasia (2009), Yardley UK (2012), and LD Waxsons Group (2012) to its portfolio.
